Young children who have experienced early adversity are at risk for developing disorganized attachments. The efficacy of Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), an intervention targeting nurturing care among parents identified as being at risk for neglecting their young children, was evaluated through a randomized clinical trial. Attachment…

Attachment outcomes of 31 maltreatment cases (involving extreme neglect or abuse), selected from a total poverty sample of 267 high-risk mothers and their children, were compared to those of a subsample of 33 cases with a history of excellent care. Attachment was assessed when infants were 12 and 18 months old. (Author/MP)

Compares 18 maltreated and 19 matched 19-month-old lower class infants in Ainsworth and Wittig's Strange Situation and in the standard mirror-and-rouge paradigm. Finds that a greater proportion of maltreated infants showed insecure attachments to their mothers and, when rouge-marked, responded negatively and did not recognize themselves. (CB)

Distributions of child attachment classifications in mother-child dyads in which the mother evidenced physical or mental problems were highly divergent from distributions for normal samples. Distributions of child attachment classifications in mother-child dyads in which the child evidenced physical problems were similar to distributions in normal…

Used longitudinal design to assess risks associated with maltreatment in maltreated and nonmaltreated children. Found that heightened difficulties in peer relationships and self-esteem were associated with greater severity and chronicity of maltreatment. The best predictions of specific aspects of adjustment considered timing, type, and severity…

Explored the stability of attachment security and representations from infancy to early adulthood in a high risk sample. Found no evidence for significant continuity between infant and adult attachment, but rather a lawful discontinuity, with many participants transitioning to insecurity. Continuous and discontinuous groups were differentiated on…

Three hypotheses were investigated among 121 maltreating and adequate mother/child dyads: that (1) there would be qualitative differences in the supportiveness of mothers' networks; (2) differences would be related to differences in child attachment to mother; and (3) differences in mothers' approaches to relationships might have influenced their…